National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center November 2008

Hurricane Ike Edition See how Johnson Space Center took care of its people and mission JSC Director

issue of Roundup is dedicated to the Johnson Space Center This family, whose commitment to our mission and to each other ensured that Hurricane Ike would not defeat us. Yes, this storm put the JSC team to the test. We had damage to over 160 buildings, which resulted in a significant financial loss to the center. On a personal note, more than 250 of our NASA employees and contractors had homes that were unlivable, while most others suffered some type of damage.

There is no question that we took a blast from Ike, but our teamwork and the “never say quit” spirit allowed us to clean up the center and reopen in a timely manner. The entire JSC team pulled together and worked extremely hard and, more importantly, worked to ensure that our people were taken care of.

You’ll see a good representation of the dedication and hard work that took place in this issue. You’ll read On the cover: about how teams pulled together to get the job done, all of this taking place while people were struggling to The cover shot is a blended image of get their personal lives and property back in order. Ike affected everyone in some way or another, and each Hurricane Ike heading over Cuba on office has done yeoman’s work to get its individual organization back up and running. To thank everyone Sept. 9, taken from the International for their individual efforts, I would need to list over 15,000 names of our civil servant and contractor team Space Station, and a view from members. Each and every one of you contributed in some special way. Although we can always improve space of Galveston Island, the Bolivar our processes, I think that, overall, they worked well. One area that we do need to improve is getting Peninsula and much of Galveston people to sign up for SyREN and also to call the “report in” number once they are in a safe location. county, shot on Nov. 4, 2006, also from the station. Considering ongoing station operations, future missions and important planning work we have to do for all of our programs, it is quite amazing that we suffered a hurricane but never missed a beat in the execution of our important work. It is a testament to the many dedicated individuals from each organization and our contract partners. Our folks pulled together following the storm to clean up, and to access systems and facilities, which allowed us to quickly reopen and resume mission operations and training. The days ahead are very important to NASA and, as you know, JSC plays a critical part in mission success.

Some of our team members will be in the recovery and rebuilding mode for some time to come, and we’ll continue to help them get back on their feet. It will take some time for our communities to recover fully; however, through your efforts, the center is back on track carrying out our mission.

As you look through this issue and remember Hurricane Ike, I would ask you to think about what you will do differently the next time. Take some time to share your lessons learned so that we all may benefit from them. Don’t dwell on what happened, but do remember and try to learn something positive from your experiences. Please continue to look out for your coworkers, listen empathetically and help where you can. The strength of JSC is its people, and it was easy to see that your extraordinary work during the good times was amplified during the not-so-good times. The Roundup staff has worked hard to capture many of the Hurricane Ike recovery efforts in your stories and photos. Please share this issue with your families Photo of the month: and use it as a tool to not only remember, but to improve how you will prepare for our next hurricane. Teamwork is alive and well after the storm as Johnson Space Center Thanks again for your hard work in taking care of each other and enabling us to execute our mission volunteers assist Hurricane Ike victims in during what was an extremely challenging time. Clear Lake Shores, Texas, on Sept. 18. Photographer: Regan Geeseman

2 | Roundup Hurricane Ike

Ike was born off the west coast of Africa at the southeast Gulf of Mexico early on Sept. 10. Hurricane the end of August. On the morning of Sept. Over the warm waters of the Gulf, Ike grew in size and intensified to 1, it was classified as a tropical depression, forming about 1,750 miles a category 2 storm with maximum winds of 100 mph. Ike continued to east of Puerto Rico. It quickly strengthened to a tropical storm later that track northwest toward the Texas coast as the hurricane crossed the afternoon, but no one in the Houston and Galveston areas thought much central and northwest Gulf of Mexico. Although Ike’s intensity remained of it at the time. a category 2, the cyclone continued to grow and became a very large Moving west-northwest, Ike hurricane. The diameter of tropical storm force winds covered a total of reached hurricane status on 425 miles from the northwest to southeast as Ike approached the upper Sept. 3. Ike rapidly intensified Texas coast on Friday, Sept. 12. into a major hurricane late Ike made landfall at 2:10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, near Galveston, that afternoon and into the Texas. Ike was a category 2 hurricane at landfall with maximum evening hours, reaching a sustained winds of 110 mph. maximum intensity of 145 Hurricane Ike produced a damaging, destructive and deadly storm mph during the early morning surge across the upper Texas and southwest Louisiana coasts, and it will hours on Sept. 4. likely end up being the third costliest natural disaster in the United States Continuing to move west behind Hurricanes Katrina and Andrew. and then west-southwest, Ike began to impact the Turks and Caicos Islands on Sept. 6. On Sept. 7, as a category 4 hurricane, Ike slammed into the island of Great Inagua. By nightfall, Ike moved to the Cuban Yolanda Marshall coast and made another landfall as a major hurricane near the province Director, Safety and Mission Assurance of Holguin near Punto de Sama, with maximum winds around 125 mph. Historically, hurricanes that form where Ike did are not supposed to make it to Galveston, but rather curve to the northeast and take to the urricane Ike was just the latest event to challenge the strength of the open Atlantic waters. But Ike, apparently not one for history, continued H NASA family. We have been through good times and bad, but the marching west. fact is we always look out for each other. Contractors and civil servants alike banded together after Ike to get things done both personally and Ike eventually exited the southwest Cuban coastline near Camaguey professionally. Because safety has been so engrained in our culture, we on Sept. 8. Just prior to crossing the northwest tip of Cuba as a category came through the Ike recovery period without a serious injury. You should 1 hurricane with winds close to 80 mph, Ike began producing tropical be commended for that, given the unusual conditions taking place not storm force winds across portions of the Florida Keys. Fortunately only on site, but especially off site and on the roadways. for the Keys, Ike would only deliver a glancing blow as the hurricane Many of you were out there helping your fellow employees, friends continued to move west-northwest toward the Gulf Coast as it crossed and neighbors clean up their yards, chop down tree limbs or temporarily power up their homes. You used chain saws, shovels, rakes and generators. Amazingly, there were no reports of any major injuries. An accident? I don’t think so. It was your personal safety culture that kicked in while at home that kept you and your family safe. Your heightened situational awareness guided you through and around unsafe situations. You may not remember, but you stopped ever so briefly and thought about the risks involved in each task. The mental aspects of making a safe decision during times of stress are just as important as the physical decisions that you make. We learn a lot about ourselves during difficult times. The one thing that we need to be consistent, however, is our approach to safety. It needs to be automatic in our thinking and in our daily activities. The fact that we had no serious injuries in a population of more than 15,000 employees and their families was no accident. It wasn’t luck, and all the “knocking on wood,” including downed tree limbs, didn’t get it done. It was you and the way you approached each and every task that kept us all safe.

Roundup | 3 An unforgettable ride

was no dress able to stay online or come back This rehearsal—Hurricane online fairly quickly. But without Joel Walker Ike was the real deal. And nobody the planning and dedication of Director, Center Operations knows that better than the the volunteers on the ride-out, it members of the Johnson Space would not have been possible to Center Ride-out Team, who stayed be operational as quickly as we t’s been over a month since Ike came ashore and dramatically changed our landscape. I want to take a second to thank the were,” said I many folks who worked so hard to plan and prepare for Ike, who Ric Hewitt, monitored the site during the storm and helped Johnson Space Center Physical recover and get back to normal business so quickly. As director Security of Center Operations, I was very concerned about the predicted specialist storm surge. It was a great relief to hear from the Ride-out Team and Incident that flood waters did not enter our buildings or the tunnel system. Command The real impact of Ike became apparent as we began Operations conducting our building-by-building assessments and began to chief during see the aftermath of numerous roof leaks and failures, water intrusion through windows and walls and broken and scattered the hurricane. debris from buildings, structures, trees and equipment. Three- Hunkering fourths of our roofs sustained damage of some sort. down in

NASA/ PHOTO jsc2008e116271 But just as quickly as the storm passed, we started working Building 30 to get JSC up and running. Many employees who had significant Teams begin the task of damage assessment from the while Ike raged damage at home, or no home at all, reported for duty and did an ride-out headquarters in Building 30. outside was incredible job getting the site ready to re-open. The dedication “spooky,” and perseverance of the NASA team really shined. As we get behind to ensure the center’s according to Gaffney. “It certainly back to our more normal routines at work, we need to remember protection and oversee the quick rattled the buildings.” to keep helping the folks hit hardest in their personal lives so we can fully recover our most important asset—our people. return of normal operations … at But thankfully, no one at the a time when “normalcy” was the center was ever in dire straits hottest commodity in town. during the height of the storm. “It’s the storm we’ve been Aside from sleeping on cots or in assortment of individuals from Even NASA Headquarters was waiting for,” said Bob Gaffney, sleeping bags, suffering through a various directorates at JSC, dialed in to assist. JSC’s emergency preparedness few Meals Ready to Eat, enduring some of which included the “In the JSC Hurricane Plan, coordinator. “I heard a sound bite some episodes of total darkness Center Operations Directorate, this is the first time we’ve actually on the news a week after the and discovering who snores and Employee Assistance Program, operated it under the Incident storm: ‘I didn’t know a hurricane who does not, the team navigated JSC Clinic, Security, Office of Command structure, and it worked could do that much damage.’ the challenge successfully. Communications and Public fine,” Gaffney said. In fact, there You just don’t know until you go The Ride-out Team was Affairs, Logistics, Finance, was nothing but praise for the through it.” comprised of an eclectic Environmental Office and more. entire team who rode out the JSC definitely went through it. storm and those that worked The Ride-out Team got extremely tirelessly to get the center back up close and personal with the during the recovery phase of the stormy entity dubbed Ike, all for operation. the good of the center. “Teamwork, teamwork,” Hewitt “If the center evacuated totally, said. “Everyone jelled. We knew we could lose all the cooling, water what the center director expected and electricity to the site. Though of us, and we took the challenge we have a contingency to remotely seriously and worked together to run the International Space accomplish the task. The team Station, it would take longer to knew that if we didn’t prepare the get the center back to 85 percent. center properly, it could cause As it was, we did not sustain more damage and re-opening any measurable damage to our would take longer, thus impacting utility infrastructure, so we were other coworkers and the NASA/ BLAIR jsc2008e116268

4 | Roundup Ike puts the center and the Ride-out Team to the test

By Catherine E. Ragin

the Systematic Recall and taken care of, the team was able Emergency Notification System, to focus on the monumental task were done from Austin, JSC’s of preparing the center. They alternate operating location during did a fantastic job getting us to emergencies. shutdown and preparing us to re- Because the Ride-out Team open,” Hewitt said. was in place, almost immediately The coordinated effort to get following the storm, when it the center operational again was was safe to emerge, damage unprecedented. For a first time in assessments began. And because putting the hurricane plan to the the initial assessments could absolute test, the teams proved be completed quickly, the more that preparation can make all the in-depth analyses were able to difference. get underway sooner, which led But, however exciting it may to swift repairs. The center was seem to ride out a hurricane, closed for a week, which is an Gaffney warns that no one should amazingly short amount of time do it unless there is no other considering the sheer amount of option. facilities that had to be cleaned, “I hope we can do a better jsc2008e116311 NASA/ BLAIR jsc2008e116311 repaired or declared safe for job communicating the potential center’s mission.” said. “At the end of the day, workers to return. intensity and damage from a Through the ride-out and we would have another tag-up “Everyone involved took care storm,” Gaffney said. “Bolivar recovery, there were twice-daily to discuss if we did everything of each other to ensure the team Peninsula was an example—in teleconferences with the Incident we needed to do and generate members had their families’ needs front of a storm is just not the Command Center and general objectives for the next shift. In met. Knowing their families were place to be.” staff. Also, the Incident Command the morning, you’d do it all over Center kept the senior staff and again.”

NASA Headquarters abreast of the During the storm and aftermath, Dr. Jeffrey R. Davis latest developments. contingencies were in place for Director, Space Life Sciences “We discussed in the morning when JSC lost capabilities to what we planned to get done communicate with employees. he Center Operations Team led by Joel Walker did a fantastic for the day, either getting ready, There were a few times when T job of preparation, ride-out and recovery during Ike. Space shifting resources, making sure updates to the Employee Life Sciences personnel from the Clinical Services Branch things got done quickly,” Gaffney Information Lines and SyREN, provided key services to the Johnson Space Center Hurricane Ride-out and Recovery Teams, including medical, industrial hygiene and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services. Specifically, the medical team deployed a small emergency medicine clinic in the command post in Building 30, and the industrial hygienist provided consultation for public health issues. This team ensured the safe care of Space Life Sciences assets, including medications and immunizations from our clinics and the frozen archived flight samples that are stored in Building 30. Following the storm, the medical support moved to the JSC Occupational Health Clinic. The clinic provided urgent care to all JSC team members, and the team was grateful for assistance from the Stennis Space Center Occupational Health Team. The Field Industrial Hygiene and Public Health Team assisted with inspections

jsc2008e116292 jsc2008e116292 of every building on site and cleared the well water for potable use until the Clear Lake Water Authority provided potable water to the center. During recovery, the EAP provided Critical Incident Stress

NASA/ BLAIR debriefings for employees, and these services are ongoing today. The Space Shuttle Program’s Mission Evaluation Room conference room sustained major water damage from Hurricane Ike.

Roundup | 5 JSC Employee Stories

I watched from the back of the group as my mom bowed Debra L. Johnson her head and began to pray aloud. After a few words, the pain Director, Office of Procurement of loss began to quiver in her voice. My eyes opened as one of her coworkers reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders. Her eyes closed again and I could hear relief and joy hat do you get when you combine a low-pressure system, the end of the fiscal year, use-or-lose funding, roof and in the tone of her voice as she thanked God for the progress W structural repairs, power outages and the displacement of 80-plus we were making as a team. I sat in amazement as the 20 of us Procurement personnel (housed immediately in Building 12 due ate our lunches under the shade of a young oak not far from to the heroic efforts of the Information Resources Directorate and the rubbled contents of my house. Words cannot express the Center Operations Directorate)? With any normal Procurement gratitude my family and I have for the NASA and Diamond Group organization, this would be a train wreck. In Johnson Space family that reached out to help us during our time of need.. Center’s Procurement Office, this scenario, even at year-end, was seamless and went on without the skip of a beat. L. Therese Ramirez Procurement personnel filled in for each other, heedless of job JSC Security, Technical Support Services, descriptions or titles, when coworkers were faced with personal Diamond Group difficulties. They cooperated with other organizations—the Financial Management Directorate, resource analysts, NASA Headquarters and the NASA Shared Services Center— to develop real-time workarounds to not only complete the year-end buying but perform emergency purchasing so that the center was up and running after only six-and-a-half days. And, if this is not enough, JSC finished the year ranked as the number one center for Fiscal Year 2008 two-year funding, considering both dollar value and actions, accomplishing 99.9 percent of our obligations. So, next time you see one of the Procurement folks, thank them for a job well done.

I’ve heard it said that difficult situations bring out the best and the worst in people. I observed Ike bring out the NASA PHOTO jsc2008e116581 best in people. There are many examples that I can share, Folks in the Procurement Office worked tirelessly on year-end funding from neighbors handing out free food and drinks to anyone in issues despite being temporarily relocated to Building 12 after Ike. need—to friends opening up their homes, lending furniture and a helping hand. Of all the examples of selfless service I observed, I want to share with you the story of Mike Fossum My wife and I returned to our Galveston Island home to and his family. Before I returned to Houston, Mike and his find that floodwaters had destroyed everything under our house family were already in my home doing the hard and dirty work and in the garage, but had stopped six inches from our living necessary to save my home from mold. Mike and his entire spaces. Many of our neighbors were not as lucky. A crew from family spent every day for a solid week helping us dig through the Constellation Program Office offered not only their time to the mess left after Ike. When Mike met a neighbor of mine in help us clean up, but (also) to assist our friends and neighbors need, even though he was a complete stranger, he brought his in recovering from the storm. Special thanks go to Kevin Orr, Boy Scout troop to the man’s home and did all the work that Stephen Voels, Tom Moody, Stace Garrett, Tim Wood and Adam was necessary to stabilize the home and save it from the onset Burkey for their efforts to help Galveston Island recover. of mold. Mike Fossum and his family are true heroes of Ike. Their example of selfless service to others is truly inspirational. Bryan Smouther Systems Engineer, Ron Garan The Boeing Company NASA Astronaut

6 | Roundup NASA/BLAIR jsc2008e116984 Vehicle Parachute System Assembly Lead SystemEngineer, CrewExploration Tim Fisher couldtendtotheirownhomesandfamilies. their firecallssothey andrunning operations Department withsearch-and-recovery theambulancestorun.high for We alsoassisted Seabrook’s Fire whenthewindsweretoo transporting apregnantwomaninlabor homesandeven restoredpowertofloodedordamaged started by victims, trapped homeslookingfor and damaged fightingfires duringandafterthestorm,in thesixdays searchingflooded and amamemberofour Water Rescue Team. Iworked95hours I volunteerwiththeLeagueCityVolunteer FireDepartment Barrios Technology Manager,Change Package Jenna Contenta direct trafficandcheckresidentsbackintothearea. residents inneed. After thestorm, weweredeployedtohelp theGalvestonCounty weretheretoevacuate and driversthat and togothe Texas CityHighSchooltocheckinthebuses Centertoverify2-1-1participants’ information Operations effort,As apartofthat wewerecalledtotheEmergency of thesolutioninwakedisasterstheircommunity. Response Team, citizenscanbecomeapart whereeveryday In 2007, IbecameamemberoftheCommunityEmergency Land-Mobile Radio Communications Program Specialist Program Land-Mobile RadioCommunications Sylvia Ramirez Roberts,Penny theloanof agenerator. for Godblessyouall! family, support. friendsandcoworkerspullthroughfor Thank you, andfriends,family itisduring thesehardtimeswhenyour for andtreasure ourNASA begrateful andwe’llalways this memory was accomplishedwithinsuchashorttime. We willneverforget clean, sweep, etc. workedsohard, Everyone andalotofwork yardwork,to perform movefurniture, remove/haulsheetrock, ourresidence showedupat Project Cleanupvolunteersthat Directorate theCenter Operations and supportexpressedby My family andIareamazedappreciativeforthelove ensuring we maintain our mission and program focus. program and mission our wemaintain ensuring were others effort, recovery center in the engaged were people dedicated very together. some While center the brought that attitude positive and teamwork professionalism, of display extraordinary an community JSC entire the across I witnessed the Procurement, Resources and Finance organizations. Finance and Resources Procurement, the especially but center the at organization every touched that effort compressed a highly also was It year-end schedule. fiscal lost of aweek-and-a-half up making including possible, as seamlessly and quickly online as back operations business center the bring A Procurement, Resources and Finance employees in the agency. in the employees Finance and Resources Procurement, of group talented and dedicated most the is this believe truly I end. year thriving avery for made it successful, be to desire areal and attitude apositive teamwork, professionalism, gapped. significantly was that year-end process intense, closing labor- extremely an to in addition queue, in the actions funding contract and paid be to waiting invoices of due, hundreds was that apayroll to reopened center the after returned They recovery. There was an equally dedicated group of employees working to to working employees of group dedicated equally an was There It wasn’t easy. There were long hours required, but with with but required, hours long were easy. wasn’t There It business center the of aspect in every together worked teams The work while continuing to recover from the impacts of Ike, Ike, of impacts the from recover to continuing while work to returned Center Space Johnson of employees s the Johnson SpaceCenterChiefFinancialOfficer John Beall, Roundup

| 7 Backup Control Center at Marshall comes online just in time By Sean Wilson

Ike forced the evacuation of thousands of control on Friday, Sept. 19. Hurricane people in the Houston area—including BCC Flight Director Dana Weigel summed it up. “This is one for the International Space Station mission control operations. Luckily, they had history books. I hope we don’t have to repeat it, but I know if we do, we’ll somewhere to go. be ready.” Since the beginning of the program, station Backup Control Center (BCC) capabilities have been located in Moscow. The capabilities for managing U.S. systems from Moscow was very limited and the overseas location required significant logistics coordination to support BCC operations. Experience with Hurricanes Lili, Katrina and Rita demonstrated the need to establish an alternate mission control capability here in the United States. In response, a new station BCC project was kicked off in the fall of 2006 at the Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). With the new BCC, mission control has two options for support in the event of a contingency. Johnson Space Center can conduct operations from Huntsville by sending the BCC team to MSFC, or activate the NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center jsc2008e121162 Backup Advisory Team (BAT). The BAT is a condensed flight control team that can connect to BCC-HOSC workstations via laptops from a Natalie Saiz remote location outside of the Houston area. Director, Human Resources Office The timing for bringing the facility online could not have been better. “We had no idea it would be used to this extent just weeks after it was approved for use,” said Mary Lawrence, BAT system lead, “but I’m here are some amazing stories surrounding Hurricane Ike, but what touched me most was the way the Johnson Space Center tremendously thankful to those that made sure we got it right.” T community pulled together. The first Monday following the hurricane, On Sept. 10, with Ike threatening the upper Texas coast, the station in we worked with your directors, program managers and contractor orbit and a Progress docking on the horizon, both teams were activated leaders to make sure we had accounted for all our employees. One to set up remote operations. While the BCC team headed to MSFC, director actually drove to the homes of employees she hadn’t heard the BAT relocated outside of the Austin area and began controlling the from! By the end of the week, we had accounted for everyone. station on Sept. 11—two days before Hurricane Ike hit the Texas coast. We also worked with the organizations to assess damage to “For a while, Ike was a distraction,” said Bryan Snook, who has been employee homes—categorizing individuals as either red, yellow working on this project for six years. “I didn’t want to know what was or green. “Red” meant that the employee’s primary residence was going on back home because I was working and couldn’t do much unlivable. “Yellow” meant the employee may have had damage and/ about it.” or was without power or water. “Green” meant employees generally sustained minimal damage but were otherwise able to return to On Sept. 14, in preparation for the Progress docking, the Austin team work once the center reopened. This categorization also helped shut down and transferred operations—a first for MSFC, and only a the Employee Assistance Program conduct employee debriefings. month since the facility was certified. Unfortunately, 280 team members (civil servant and contractor) were “The Progress docking really pushed us to a real-time operations “red,” but that number continues to improve. mode,” said Mitch Venable, station ground controller and one of the first In addition, the JSC Exchange accepted monetary donations, on the scene at the BCC. which were converted to store-valued cards and distributed to over 50 But real-time operations are just what these teams are cut out for. significantly impacted employees. “The team’s gritty determination to work through the situation— Employee communications is very important during a crisis, and people working 13-hour shifts—everyone stayed in the ballgame,” while we’ve heard that communications improved quite a bit from previous storms, we still have room to improve. In partnership with Snook said. Extra flight controllers were flown in to get up to 12 people the External Relations, Center Operations and the Human Resources per shift for the Progress docking. Offices, we are working on a team chartered by Center Director By docking day, all team members knew at least the basics on the Mike Coats to review lessons learned and make the necessary status of their homes and loved ones, and they also knew a plan was in improvements. the works to get them home. While Hurricane Ike certainly caused hardship for many, it’s “What makes me more proud than anything else is not the fact that heartwarming to see the generosity and genuine concern for others the BCC performed as planned, but that I was part of an effort that truly from so many people. It’s times like this where we are reminded, once epitomizes NASA’s goal of ‘One NASA,’” said Nick Bornas of MSFC. again, working at JSC is truly awesome! The BCC team handed operations back over to Houston mission

8 | Roundup Compassion and caring: the ‘MOD Squad’ excels at one of its most unique missions yet

By Kelly Humphries

Mission Operations Directorate (MOD) crew, or “MOD Squad,” Banfield and Cobb, who would then dispatch the teams from the store The started out as a way for post-Hurricane Ike volunteers to parking lot, which became a sort of command post for coordinating the provide some peace of mind for the flight controllers who had evacuated necessary equipment and resources and redistributing volunteers among to serve as a backup Mission Control for the International Space Station. the sites. Schaefer worked as a coordinator at many of the work sites. But the morning gathering at a local grocery parking lot quickly grew “(It’s) great to see how people stepped up on their own to fill the so large that the organizers couldn’t keep track of all the volunteers’ immediate need, and then within a day, we had organized efforts in names. In retrospect, an estimated 303 MOD employees ended up work,” Schaefer wrote during the cleanup. “It is truly a great day to pitching in to help their coworkers, retirees and neighbors clean up after be in MOD.” the storm that left much of the Houston area in tatters. MOD division chiefs got the word out that help was available and They brought chain saws, sledge hammers, trailers and other volunteers were needed. The number of jobs increased, but so did the equipment with them, donating tools of demolition and cleanup in number of volunteers. By the time it was over, the MOD Squad had addition to their time. cleaned up 30 to 40 homes with the help of about 303 volunteers, comprised of civil servants and United Space Alliance and Barrios Technology employees. Once the parking lot command post was closed down, each MOD division continued to organize more cleanup efforts to help their personnel. “We never had to ask for help,” Robert Frost and Marta Durham wrote to Center Director Mike Coats. “Over the next few days, many people from Expedition Vehicle Division/DI and some of the other divisions descended on our house. Some we’d never met, and so many that we are afraid to list them because we know we’ll miss a few.” “Everyone brought their own resources,” Cobb said. “We networked to find special things like trailers and unique pieces of equipment.” Several people who couldn’t volunteer their labor donated money, which was used to purchase things like filter masks worn by the NASA PHOTO volunteers who dealt with an increasing number of homes that had been Because so many JSC team members live near the coast, quite a few flooded. As more flood victims began to report their needs, the effort had catastrophic damage to their homes. shifted from tasks such as chain-sawing fallen trees to ripping out soggy carpet and sheetrock. Carey Cobb, a 20-year NASA veteran and chief of MOD’s “The real success of this effort was the incredible spirit of compassion Environmental Systems Branch, helped organize the effort, along with displayed by the many volunteers who showed up willing to spend their Expedition Vehicle Division Chief Rob Banfield and Space Transportation time to help people who, in many cases, they may not have even known,” Vehicle Division Chief Stan Schaefer. Cobb said. “They simply knew their MOD teammates needed help and On the Saturday following Ike’s rampage, Cobb was driving around to stepped up to meet that need. The character of these people and their survey the damage and got to thinking about the backup Mission Control willingness to give to their teammates should make us all very proud.” team members working in Round Rock, Texas, and Huntsville, Ala., who didn’t know whether it would be days or weeks before they could return home. “I got a sense of what these folks were going to have to come back to,” Cobb said. “The first day was devoted to giving them peace of mind, knowing something about their homes. The idea came to us that we could give them some help cleaning things up. It was the least we could do to go to their homes, cut trees down and get their property taken care of.” Cobb said the volunteers decided to meet in the parking lot the Wednesday after the storm to identify the resources needed at each site and send the right number people and equipment to do each job. After they cleaned up five or six sites the first day, they decided to pull NASA PHOTO together several similar efforts into an even more coordinated approach the following day. They developed a communications chain that generally The MOD Squad was activated so that JSC team members could help involved a volunteer assessor visiting each site, relaying information to their friends and coworkers recover from the storm.

Roundup | 9 Gilruth R&R Station served 500 who were without power By Heather Nicholson

place where many 30 volunteers, donating not only amenities were the showers and Columbia tragedy, the Gilruth The people stay healthy their time but also bottled water, the use of electrical outlets to Center had never been used morphed into a center of refuge batteries, canned-food items, charge cell phones or use hair in this capacity before. Conder for the hundreds of Johnson flashlights, battery-operated dryers. In addition, the R&R said she is proud that the newly Space Center employees out of lanterns, diapers, ice chests and power in the weeks following coolers, tarps, extension cords and Hurricane Ike. charcoal. The Gilruth Center turned into Even though the fitness a Recharge and Refresh (R&R) equipment was not in use, Conder NASA/GEESEMAN jsc2008e117432 Station provided a clean, safe and conceived effort was up and familiar environment for JSC team running so quickly. members unable to comfortably “We’ve done similar things, but occupy their own homes during the nothing to this magnitude. It all day, TV news coverage, family- happened so quickly—in a matter oriented movies, a counselor of hours,” Conder said. “I got a and food. call the day after Ike hit and we Other than offering free meals turned the (Gilruth) center around NASA/GEESEMAN jsc2008e117437 to employees working during the in just over 24 hours.” Station on Sept. 17, supporting said about 100 people about 500 area employees who per day came in to use needed Internet access, electrical their computers. As the outlets or just a plain ol’ shower. most popular amenity “We knew we wanted to do offered to employees, something to help. The Gilruth Conder said it spoke is such a well-known facility, volumes about the needs and since it was in such good of our society. shape we knew we had to do “People were something,” said Debbie Conder, excited to come in and manager of Exchange Operations check their e-mails, - Starport. communicate with The R&R Station was available friends and family and for two weeks after Ike for civil just get online to find servants, contractors and their out what was going on,” families, who were still grappling Conder said. “It was without power and/or potable a statement of where water. While other areas of the we are in society … so center remained closed, Gilruth reliant on technology.” opened its doors with about Other popular NASA/MARKOWITZ jsc2008e117472

10 | Roundup

WANTED: Life before Ike Employees offer furniture, clothes to those who lost everything By Heather Nicholson

further ease the burden brought on by Hurricane Ike, Johnson NOMAD e-mail system is essential in ensuring one action does not To Space Center initiated an Ike-only Swap Shop for the 250 team adversely affect another.” members who lost their homes. The center’s Web-based shop for The Ike Swap Shop will be available throughout November, and the furniture, clothes, appliances and even volunteer labor was set up to center plans to reassess its need in about month to determine how long connect the employees who wanted to help with the employees who it should stay online. needed help. “We know there are a lot of people in the community with needs, but we wanted to prioritize to those who lost their homes,” said Brady Pyle, lead Employee Recovery Advocate in the Human Resources Office. Since the Ike-only Swap Shop has gone online, more than 200 donations have been received. Pyle said about 25 percent of that has been accepted by team members without homes. “More and more people are beginning to access it,” Pyle said. “A lot of people are in temporary homes and may not have a need for furniture for a while.” This is not the first time JSC team members have bartered, sold and swapped personal items. For some time, a Web-based Swap Shop has been available to JSC team members for free, allowing them to post items for sale, free giveaways or browse area rental properties. The Information Resources Directorate (IRD) monitors this site and was instrumental in setting up the Ike Swap Shop.

“The JSC community has responded with open arms to those who NASA/GEESEMAN jsc2008e117434 lost homes and goods in the storm,” said Larry Sweet, IRD director. “IRD also quickly created temporary offices on site for displaced employees and set up computer support for the Gilruth Recharge and Dot Swanson Refresh Station.” Deputy Director, Information Resources Directorate (IRD) Because of the substantial damage caused by Hurricane Ike, the recovery effort was significant for IRD. Restoration of systems and tools for personnel was key to a smooth transition back to work. In less than urricane preparation is a collaborative effort between our civil one week, IRD repaired and started all critical systems such as e-mail, Hservant and contractor personnel. Internet, phones and applications. IRD is a key component of the institutional capabilities enabling As Sweet explained, much like a first responder, this effort paved the mission on a day-to-day basis: maintaining the Internet, servers, the way for uninterrupted service as employees returned to their databases and applications, e-mail and the phone system. Our plan is documented and tested annually to ensure an orderly shutdown and workstations. In addition, imagery support of space operations and recovery of vital assets necessary for operations. IRD focused pre-Ike printing services were quickly brought online to support real-time activities in shutting down institutional and mission-related systems in mission requirements. a specific sequence to protect them from storm damage. “Hurricane preparation is a collaborative effort between our civil Because of the substantial damage caused by Ike, the recovery servant and contractor personnel. IRD focused pre-Ike activities effort was significant for IRD. Restoration of systems and tools for on shutting down institutional and mission-related systems in a our personnel was key to a smooth transition back to work. In less specific sequence to protect them from storm damage,” Sweet said. than one week, IRD repaired and started up all critical systems such “Coordination with affected groups such as Mission Operations, as e-mail, Internet, phones and applications, paving the way for Center Operations, White Sands Test Facility, JSC users, Information uninterrupted service as employees returned to their worksite. In addition, imagery support of space operations and printing services Technology support personnel, near-site contractors and the NASA were quickly brought online to support real-time mission requirements. IRD also quickly created temporary offices on site for displaced employees and set up computer support for the Gilruth Recharge and Donate items to the Refresh Station. The JSC community responded with open arms to those who lost Ike Swap Shop at: homes and goods in the storm. JSC Recovery Advocates matched up http://www6.jsc.nasa.gov/jscteam/HaveNeed/ donations to people in need of items or assistance.

Roundup | 11 It’s time to go fly!

While the Texas Gulf Coast was still reeling from Hurricane Ike, a more tranquil event took place on another coastline. Ode to Ike

There once was a guy named Ike He came into town scattered things around and then he took a hike. We ran for the hills it gave us all the chills as we waited through the night. When we returned we saw things that had churned and many things that were not right. So we got our tools and worked like fools to get everything back in place. With sweat on our brow we worked at great pace to get our folks ready for space.

NASA/CRYDER 280747main_rainbowpad-lg_full NASA/CRYDER We survived Ike’s eye and as we looked to the sky two rainbows framing the Launch Complex 39 area in the early morning of Sept. 19 at NASA’s we wondered what was next. With Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Space Shuttle Atlantis (foreground) sat on Launch Pad 39A, and Space Shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39B, with both rotating service structures retracted. We’ll do what we know For the first time since July 2001, two shuttles were on the launch pads at the same time. Endeavour was to and get ready to go stand by at pad B in the unlikely event that a rescue mission was necessary during Atlantis’ STS-125 mission now that it is clear. to repair NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. However, due to circumstances revolving around Hubble’s repair, So after a sigh STS-125 has now been postponed to a date to be determined. and water to our thigh Endeavour moved from Launch Pad 39B to Launch Pad A on Oct. 23 to prepare for liftoff of STS-126, It’s time to go fly! which is slated for November.

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Catherine E. Ragin Editor Logan Goodson Graphic Designer Laura A. Rochon NASA Publication Manager Cassandra V. Miranda Contractor Publication Manager